An Unexpected Meeting
by d00mfuzzball
Summary: TenTen runs into her teammate in a part of town she didn't quite expect, and ends up learning a few things about Lee she expected even less. LeeTenten friendship.


**A/N Dunno how this got so long. Seriously, turned out about 173643723618 times longer than I expected it to. I wrote this almost entirely for my own amusement and to indulge my own crackpot little theories about the bits of Lee's backstory that Kishimoto-sama hasn't seen fit to divulge yet. As such this contains a few original characters and probably wavers from canon in several places.**

**I would put Lee and TenTen as 14 or 15 in this, for anyone that cares. **

**Oh yeah. I don't own Naruto, should it suddenly become mine, you'll notice. Mostly by a sudden and dramatic drop in drawing/animation quality.**

TenTen was intrigued. It did not strike her as particularly unusual that she should run into Lee outside of the training grounds or shinobi administrative buildings. They were friends as well as teammates, and had a spent a fair amount of time together around the village doing perfectly normal civilian things. What struck her as unusual was that she should run into him carrying a large grocery bag down a street that was on the opposite side of the village from where he had once mentioned that he lived. She was in no hurry herself, so she opted to investigate.

" Hey! Lee!" He halted and shifted to better see around the large paper bag.

"Hello TenTen-chan, how are you this youthfull evening?"

" Oh fine, fine, glad to finally have a little bit of free time again. Mind if I join you?"

" Of course, but I'm not doing anything you'd find interesting." She kicked him playfully in the leg and fell in step beside him.  
" Whatever. Hey are those yours? I thought you lived over in the south block." He shifted the bag in his arms to scratch the back of his head a little embarrassedly and smiled at her.

" Haha, yes I do live there, I was just delivering these too-"

"Nii-Chaaaan!" They were walking across the street from a small playground and a black haired girl of three or four had just leapt from the jungle gym and was barreling happily right towards them. " Lee Nii-chan!"

"Bo-Chan!" He deftly deposited his groceries on the sidewalk and swept the giggling girl up.

"Bird Wings no Jutsu! Bird Wings no Jutsu!" TenTen could only gape in shock at her teammate while he tucked the child under one arm and spun, careening around the street.

"Nnnnnnyyyywrrrroooowwwww! She's flyyyyyiiiinng!" he twirled, tossed her into the air and caught her with the precision of the taijutsu master he was. She spied the grocery bag and squirmed in his arms, bending over backwards to peer into it, long dark hair soiling into the bag and fluttering inches above the ground.

"What's Nii-chan got?" Lee laughed.

"Nii-chan got a little bit of a bonus on his last mission, so he bought some things for Bo-chan and her sister and Mama." He set the child down on her feet and smiled sheepishly at TenTen. She raised an eyebrow at him.

" Nii-chan?"

"N-no, not really, this is, here I'll introduce you, Bo-chan," he patted the little girl, who was trying to dig through the grocery bag and gestured to his teammate. "Bo-chan this is my friend TenTen, I've told you about her before remember? TenTen, this is Rock Bo, my little cousin. I was just on my way to her house."

"Hi." Chirped Bo and stared pointedly up at the kunoichi. After a few seconds Lee coughed politely and nudged her with his knee. When she did nothing he gently pushed her into a slight bow. His efforts were rewarded with a glare filled with all the resentment a toddler could muster.

" I'm sorry, she's just a little…shy. She doesn't like strangers much. Just give her a little she'll warm up." TenTen was skeptical about that. Shy kids just hid behind their parents and sibling legs, she got the distinct impression that Lees cousin had been trying to stare her down. Yeah, well, she for one wasn't about to let some bratty little kid push her around. Said bratty little kid however, had lost interest in her and had turned her attention back to her doting cousin.

"Nii-chan, Bo wanna ride."

"Yeah, okay." Lee lifted the little girl and set her on his shoulders, she squealed and grabbed at his hair, messing it thoroughly and eventually taking up two handfuls like horses reins.

"Hiiiiii, shiny!" He didn't seem to mind. Lee retrieved his bag from the sidewalk and started off down the street again.

"You can come along if you like." He offered. " It's not very far from here." Well why not? She trailed along after them, and thought secretly to herself that the whole thing was kind of cute, even if she was a bit angry with him for never telling her he had family in the village.

"Nii-chan."

"Yes?"

"Birds don't go 'nnyyywrrrroowww'." TenTen actually had to laugh out loud at how red his face turned.

It was an unremarkable house. Two stories tall with short steps leading up to the grey brown door and a modest yard, maybe five square feet of grass in front of it surrounded by a leaning metal fence. It looked exactly like the house who's wall began less than three feet to its right, and exactly like the one who's wall began less than three feet to it's left. The only defining feature was a blue tricycle that lay demurely on its side next to the stairs, a marker that indeed a child dwelled here. Bo wanted down, and TenTen helped her as Lee's hands were occupied. She shot up the path and wrestled open the gate then bounded up the stairs to hammer her small fist on the door.

"Kaa-Chan! Nee-Chan, I'm home, Lee Nii-chan is home too and he brought stuff!" Lee and TenTen followed her more calmly, Lee paused to nudge the tryke off with his foot so that nobody would trip on it in a hurry out the door. Nobody answered until Lee had gotten to the door, and TenTen waited somewhat nervously on the step behind him. She wondered if he had simply invited her out of politeness after all, previously he had not even deigned to make her aware if these peoples existence, was she really welcome here, dropping by so suddenly and without any token of thanks for the invitation?

The door was opened by another girl child this time of closer to eleven or twelve. She had Lee's dark complexion, and her hair flipped out at the ends like his had before he'd adopted their sensei's style. She didn't say anything, but cracked a boyish sideways smile and dodged around her little sister to all but yank the bag out of Lee's arms.

"Whatcha get us this time? We missed you by the way. Hurry up and get your butt in here." In spite of her rough speech and tomboyish appearance, her movements were startlingly feminine and she sashayed back into the neat, joint living and dining room .Lee gave TenTen another apologetic smile and held the door for her to enter. She swallowed her hesitation and kicked off her shoes inside the door.

" Ishi-chan, this is-"

"TenTen, I can tell by that meat bun hairstyle."

"Y-yes, this is one of my teammates, TenTen-chan this is my other cousin Rock Ishi. She's a student at the ninja academy and-"

" And one of the top in my class at taijutsu! The final exam is next month and I'm going to become a ninja for sure!"

"Yosh! That's the spirit Ishi!" He pulled the girl into a tight hug. "By the way, is your mother home yet?"

"In here." A soft voice from the stairwell. The three of them turned towards the gentle presence descending from the second floor. She was a tall woman with elegant hands and the fingernails bitten short. She wore a yellow apron and a powder blue bandana, and carried herself profound tiredness. Her hair, as black as her families, fell in waist length curls. A soft grin tugged at her lips as her eyes lighted on the teenage boy. "You are back. It is good to see you." He bowed as she approached.

"Yes, I am sorry I have not visited in so long, I have been very, very busy, so I brought a few things I thought you might need-" She tapped his forehead thoughtfully with one long finger.

"Still scrawny as ever. Are you eating enough? You always were a bit small for your age, especially for your fathers side of the family." He flushed in indignation.

"I can look after myself Oba-san!"

"Of course. Now aren't you going to introduce me to your friend here and show me what you've brought us?"

" Oh right!" he perked right up again. "This is-"

"I'm TenTen. I'm on Lee's team. It's a pleasure to meet you and your children Rock-san."

"Nanami. Please."

"Nanami-san." Lee had turned to the table and begun fishing things out of the brown paper bag.

" Lee, TenTen please sit, I will make tea for you both." Ishi waved them over to the couch where she had stretched out and was scratching away at her homework. Bo had parked herself on the floor at Ishi's feet and was utterly absorbed in whatever brightly colored show was on the television. Lee handed the little girl a character lollipop, one of the ones stuck into a small toy with a button that spins when you push it. Some blue guy with whiskers that TenTen recognized as being fantastically popular, but couldn't name. The child squeaked in delight.

"Ishi-chan, I got you Melon Pocky. That's you're favorite right?"

"No moron. That was my favorite last month. I like strawberry now."

"I'm sorry. I thought you liked it. You change you're tastes so quickly." The look he gave her was such a perfect impression of a puppy that'd just been kicked right into a gutter that TenTen was about to either take the candy herself or scold the girl , when she caved.

"Tch. Yeah. Melons good too." And snatched the box from his fingers.

"Oh Lee, is are these kiwi for me? I do love them."

"Of course, Oba-san." Nanami crossed the room with weathered grace and handed them each a steaming cup of green tea. While they drank she turned to the kitchen to pack away the things that Lee had brought.

"Plenty of fresh fruit, instant ramen, instant curry, a loaf of bread, is that a box of warabi mochi? This is wonderful Lee, it helps out a lot." TenTen turned to him, a little worried.

"Lee I know we got paid a bit extra for the last mission but not enough to splurge on all mmmph!" she was cut of by a bandaged hand placed firmly over her mouth.

" I'm glad, really it's no trouble at all."

They passed about half an hour speaking lightly and watching the television, Ishi finished her homework, with Lee helping where he could, and Nanami combed her youngest daughters hair. By and by she mentioned that it was getting to be dinnertime, and she would like if they both would stay. Lee wouldn't hear of her cooking for them.

" Of course not, you've already spent all day in the shop, and then I show up unannounced and bring a friend with me. No Oba-san, you rest, please, I will take care of it. You girls can just relax out here and talk about…girl stuff." He gave a Nice Guy pose and disappeared into the cramped kitchen. TenTen had apprehensions.

" Lee cooking, is that…safe?"

"Perfectly."

"So, um, Nanami-san, where do you work?"

"I have a small bakery in the shopping district. I used to work there for my husband, before he died. It has a blue roof, and a sun on the sign, you may have seen it." Indeed, TenTen knew the bakery, she hadn't been by in a while but had frequented it as a child. They made excellent taiyaki. She had gone almost once a week with her allowance, until one day when she was maybe six the then owner, who now she figured must have been Lees uncle, had yelled at her and her friends for hanging out outside the shop. He was a towering man, probably bigger than Gai-sensei. It had frightened her.

" Yes, I know it, it's lovely, I'll be sure to stop by the next time my sweet tooth attacks."

"Please, it would be lovely company. Shall we sit at the table? I have some sewing I'd like to finish."

"Oh, sure." TenTen took her cup and dodged carefully around the child on the floor. Everything in this house was cluttered together almost dangerously, all jutting edges and spots of wear and tear. Not the table though. The table was beautiful. It was wide and rectangular, with room for five or six. The varnish still shone warm on the wood. TenTen let her fingers glide lazy circles along the grain while she watched the woman of the house set out needles , thread and a torn Chinese style shirt. Her movements were tired, and precise like her voice. Everything about this woman could e described as soothing. "So, um, Lee doesn't live with you, even though yu're family? I didn't know he even had any in the village."

" H used to. He moved out, started living on his own when my husband died. He wasn't even twelve years old yet. But you he was old enough to know that it would be difficult to feed all of us, with only myself to work, and the Academy will pay for students until they become genin so…" TenTens grip tightened dangerously on the cup. By the sound of that…

"You tossed him out?" Nanami paused almost imperceptibly and shot the girl a quick, unreadable glance.

" No. Leaving was his own decision. Though I did not try to make him stay." For a few tense moments the room hung in silence. Ishi's expression had darkened and her gaze set firmly out the window, even little Bo's playing shushed, she could sense the unease. In the kitchen the stove crackled noisily to life, and the smell and pop of heated oil drifted out. TenTen groped blindly for another subject.

"Bo…that's a pretty name. It isn't Japanese though is it?"

"No. Neither is Lee. The Rock clan is rather scattered, and we are not from Japan originally. I think Lee my daughters and myself are the only ones in Fire Country. Lee himself came across the ocean only after my sisters village…well, he was about Bo-chans age I guess, but the boy didn't end up here until he was old enough to join the Ninja Academy. If you're on his team now, you must have been in the same class." The kunoichi drummed her fingers lightly and her eyebrows creased.

"Yes, I've known him for years and years I guess. I remember my first day at the Academy, I was seven I think, most of us were. But Lee wasn't there then, he didn't show up until the next year. I remember they put him right in to the second year class with me and Neji, so that they could keep the age groups together." Nanami nodded sagely. " Where was he before then though."

"Oh." Said the woman. "Here and there." Another silence broken only by the idle clanking of kitchenware and the sounds of cooking food. This one was lay easier though, and TenTen was content to sip her tea and wait for the woman to expand on that. "He was always such a sweet boy. Clumsy, and none to bright, but sweet."

"Haha, that's about right. I don't think I've met a bigger reckless fool in my life. But he's less clumsy now, that's for sure." As if on cue something in the kitchen sizzled, and Lee didn't quite cuss, because Lee never cussed, but almost. "Well, maybe not." TenTen, Nanami, and Ishi all burst into giggles. When they'd got that under control, TenTen started up again. " Nanami-san, you and Ishi-san both have Japanese names, so why not Bo as well?" Nanami gave a whistful sigh.

" Lee is a good boy, he has always tried so hard to help us-"

"He protected us from Otou-san."

"Ishi shush you. Anyway, we are grateful for him. Bo was born just a few months after he moved out. It was his mothers name. If the baby had been a boy, we'd have named it Fai, after his father."

Lee bounded out of the kitchen then and told them all the food was ready, and they had better wash up quick before it got cold. She was impressed. The food was good. He had made rice omelets for everyone, vegetable tempura and cold tofu. TenTen decided that this dinner table had one a spot as one of her favorite places. Ever. At least when they were all gathered around it. It hit her like a slap to the face about ten minutes in to the meal. This was a family. A real family. And there was love here. It was not perfect, sort of…she struggled in her head to find a sitable metaphor, sort of like an old blanket. Ill-used, a little frayed and wearing thin in places, but warm still and familiar. They were happy to be eating together, and that happiness was extended to her. She thought of her own home, and her grandmother. Tomorrow, she would be sure to spend some time with her.

The girls doted openly on their older cousin. Bo pulled her little high chair over to his side of the table, and ate off of his plate in favor of her own. Ishi stole bits of food too, kicked him under the table, and pressed him excitedly for stories of his missions and training, and sensei. She was a rough kid, and liked to boss him, but she wore the hero worship on her face plain as day. Nanamis affections were displayed more subtly. She merely listened to the chatter of the four youngsters, and quietly replaced whatever her daughters had stolen from Lee's plate when he wasn't looking. Lee talked enthusiastically about anything and everything, and sparred verbally with his oldest cousin, good natured teasing matches which he ultimately lost.

By the end of the meal little Bo was barely not nodding off, her little head drifting down, snapping back up, then after a minute slowly down again. Lee went to put her to bed, TenTen insisted on helping Ishi with the dishes. Tired as she was, the toddler didn't think herself ready for bed.

"Dun' wanna!"

" Aaaw, come on Bo-chan, it is bed time, see how sleepy you are?"

"Dun' wanna."

"But you're a good little girl aren't you? Good little girls go to sleep when they're told, or they get gobbled up by the boogeyman."

"Nu- huuuh, no boogeyman."

"They do! He sneaks around downstairs when it's past your bedtime, and if he finds a naughty little girl who wouldn't go sleep he…" Bo gasped as she was swept up into his arms. " Eat's them right up. Rawr!" she shrieked and giggled and pushed his face away as he pretended to eat her. " Ow! Hey! Stick your fingers up your own nose."Ishi laughed aloud as he vanished to the second floor.

"Stupid git…" but it came out sounding more like a term of endearment than and insult. "Honestly, I don't know how he hasn't gotten himself capped yet."

" I wonder that too sometimes. And believe me he's scared me a few times. He really is an excellent ninja though."

" Yeah, I know he is. That's why I joined the academy you know, 'stead of just working at the bakery."

"Huh?"

" I want to be like him." TenTen laughed

" Why would you want to be like Lee? He's so weird! And you said yourself he's a moron."

"Yes, but he's a damned strong moron, and a brave one too, and kind and selfless and blah blah blah, if I tried to explain it to you I'd just start sounding like a comic book."

"I think I know what you mean."

It's just that, even as kids, he was always lookin' out for us ya know? Always protectin' me an' mum, and Bo to when she came along. I want…. I want to be strong enough to protect him back someday. Someone's gotta." TenTen laughed and flicked soap suds at the girl.

" He's got Neji and I to watch his back, and Gai-sensei too, I promise we'll take care of him."

"Yeah, you better." Was grumbled at her, but it came out more thanks than threat.

It was near dark by the time they left, streetlamps glowing steadily in the gathering shadows, and windows shinning warmly out on the street in identical orange rows. It was mid fall, and with the dark came bitter cold. In these civilian quarters the streets sat quiet, no weary feet tread there way. The kunoichi waited at the bottom of the steps leading up to the small grey house. She had been invited to return any time, or to come to the bakery, they'd serve her free there, just stop by, it would be nice to have the company. She thought that maybe, sometime she would. Lee was trapped at the doorway, trying to escape as politely as he knew how, and as a result, not really getting very far.

"You must come by more often, the girls really miss you, and you know you are always welcome in my home." She does not touch him, but TenTen can see she wants too, wants to mess his hair with motherly affection, or brush a stray eyelash from his cheek, or drag him by the ear back inside to get some proper rest. But she does not. He flushes and puts a hand behind his head and retreats down two steps.

"Thank you Oba-san, but I could not possibly burden you."

" It is no burden."

" I will come back soon. Goodnight Oba-san." And TenTen thinks for a moment that she looks hurt, but it is gone before she can really register the thought.

"Goodnight Lee, TenTen-san." Lee turned and joined TenTen at the bottom of the stairs. The woman did not close the door, but stood and watched them go, biting her lip in indecision. They made it as far as the gate and then…

"Lee." He froze, one bandaged hand tightening on the metal gate he'd been holding open for his teammate. "Your room… It's still your room, we haven't changed it. The futon is still in there. You can come home." For a long time that was only a handful of seconds but felt like they contained years, Lee didn't even look up. When he did it was with a wide and unreadable smile plastered on his face.

"Were you ever able to get the stain out?"

" The…stain…? Oh. In your..no, no it never came up."

"I am very sorry about that, Ba-chan." Lee bowed deeply, and when he rose he was still smiling. " I will come visit sometime next week, it's a promise. Make sure Ishi-chan doesn't slack off on her genjutsu, and that Bo-chan doesn't watch too much T.V. Please take care of yourself." TenTe sensed that something massive had just passed between them, and that she had not been party to it. It left her feeling isolated, and a little guilty, like she'd been eavesdropping. And then somehow she was staring at her teammates back as he hurried down the street, and the woman had gone back inside. TenTen had to run to catch up to him. When she did he dropped his pace to hers, but gave no other indication of noticing her at all.

"H-hey, what was all that about?...Are you okay?"

" Of course I am TenTen-chan." He sounded genuine, but the sudden desire to comfort and protect hit her like a punch in the gut. She took his arm, and leaned into his shoulder. Neither said anything until they had made it back to the main street. "Shall I walk you home then?"

" Why? I'm a big girl."

" Of course you are, but even so It is not safe for girls to walk alone at night." He teased playfully. " Especially such pretty little ones. You'll get mugged for sure."

" Oh shut up." She smacked him one upside the head, and he shoved off, and ended up walking her home anyway, teasing and playfighting the whole way. All was well and normal again, and by training the next morning, she had forgotten the unreadable smile and pregnant silence altogether, and knew only of a nice family and a fun night she'd spent with her friend.

**A/N again. So, this was way way different for me to write. It's long, there's a lot of dialogue, no violence, no romance, and no glaringly obvious angst. I'd really like to know how you thought it turned out. I know, the ending is weak. T-T. **

**Words to Know:**

Nii-chan affectionate or informal word for an older brother

Nee-chan Affectionate or informal word for an older sister

Kaa-chan Affectionate or informal word for mother

Oba-san Relatively formal word for aunt (not to be confused with Obaa-san, which is grandmother or old lady.)

Otou-san-formal word for father

Taiyaki- Japanese desert, waffle/bread baked in the shape of a fish, usually filled with red bean paste.

Futon-traditional Japanese bed, a sort of thin roll out mattress that sits on the floor. Surprisingly comfortable.

Ba-chan- Affectionate or informal for Aunt


End file.
